Recordatio
by Arcana-Key
Summary: Amongst a sea of Worlds, the memory of waves scatter into the depths. [ One-Shot collection / OCentric / Destativerse ]
1. I - Noxic: Introspection

An apology for taking forever and a half to update Destati - in the time that I don't, I'll be trying to update _this_ story with snippets of writing done by either myself or my friends as supplementary bit for the Destativerse! As a warning, there _will_ be spoilers, but some of these are either scenes that were thought off and discarded, or just randomly thought up as filler, for lack of a better term.

 ** _Disclaimer:_** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, but golly if I did, we'd have a few more varied protagonists...

* * *

 **Recordatio - I**

 **Introspection: Noxic**

How annoying, and here she thought that whining and whingeing would get him to save some other planet with her. He felt pretty irritated (what day isn't that the case?) but this time he had extra incentive to wear that grumpy expression on his face. Y'know the one, eyes-lids half drawn, lip-furs pursed together and ears completely drooped. Badgering him won't make things go faster. If anything, it gave the rabbit extra reason to relieve some of the pressure off the clutch of the Gummi ship his big footpaw was pressing down on. It wasn't that he didn't like saving planets with her, nothing of the kind. Part of him actually enjoyed seeing people happy, seeing people living in a somewhat semblance of peace and simply knowing he was part of that happiness. That'd be something that'd put a smile on his own lips. It's not like he doesn't have a heart, after all!

No, that wasn't it, not even close. It was the fact Noxic's mind was resigned to a single target, a single objective. A focus point, you could say. Her. The one that thrust emotion into a beast that lost its chance to have something so precious, something that should be cherished and held onto until it's last day. The one that had his thoughts turn crimson in fear, then black in hate. That one women. She started this all, and he's going to finish it. Nice and simple, right? Wrong. These 'detours' were simply distracting from the task at hand! The messy haired girl sleeping next to him peacefully, with the thoughts of heading to their next adventure drew the attention of those crimson eyes. 'Do the right thing' right? She couldn't understand quite how he was feeling and he shouldn't really take it out on her but… but, that lady- no, she didn't such a human title. That female was the true evil they should be heading towards.

That was a thought he'd never be able to dismiss.

Dark furred fingers curled around the wheel, teeth gritting at the silent thoughts screaming inside his mind, grinding slightly against their own smooth surfaces. Could he point it in a tactful way, try to describe it in a manner that'd get her on board with his trains of thought? Nah! He's not Nyx, far from it! Noxic was a man of action, not a man of words. All of a sudden, his arms would yank the wheel to the side, turning those thrusters of their ship built for space travel and battle a full one hundred and eighty degrees. The sensation was a tug to the side, one that had one of his ears perking a little in alarm. Did that wake her? Nah. She's still snoozing like an oversized baby. Good. It'd be much better if they could simply arrive at the destination he was now streamlining for. The last place he saw the one who started it all. The black rabbit was going 'home'.

He didn't need to set any navigation, the process of getting there was as simple as retracing his steps. Nobody forgets where their home is, not wholly and fully. The case was exactly the same here, only for all the wrong reasons. Leaning his body forward, Noxic would arch forward and push that steering wheel up then away from him and then the stars would fly by not as balls of light, but as streaming white lines. Hyperdrives really did make intergalactic travel no sweat at all. Chip and Dale work wonders, he'd have to clomp both their brainy heads together at some point, to show his affection of course! Hearing them squeak out angrily wasn't the reason. Oh no, absolutely not. Okay so maybe, just maybe that put a small smirk on his lips.

It'd be a full grin if his body wasn't shuddering from anxiety at that laid before his vermillion hues.

There it was, a planet which he refused to learn the name of. Pulling back sharply on the wheel, he'd put a stop to the raw speed in what seemed like instants. This was the place, he was sure of it. Why'd the lagomorph have the furs tingling up on the back of his neck otherwise? That and the sickly taste in his mouth was unmistakable. This here ball of rock and water, this is where he was 'born.' With a shaking breath leaving his lungs, he'd lean over to the seat Suihei was resting on and dial co-ordinates into the device in front of that'd warp them down to the surface. As much as a rush breaking atmosphere is, Noxic wasn't out for a kick, or for some fun. This here was serious business. So without further hesitation, he'd squeeze his eyes shut and ram his finger in the 'GO' button.

The familiar tugging sensation that gripped all his innards in a gentle embrace that followed couldn't be any colder and when he finally opened his screwed closed lids, gentle turned to ruthlessly tight and cold turned into freezing. There it was. A place that didn't look very astonishing or disturbing, a simple red brick building that stood as wide as it did tall. "I-It's just a dumb place. Stop shivering like a sissy, damn it." He hissed under his breath, forcing his body to move and get out of the ship.

Paws touched the cool moonlit grass and a wash of nightly breeze licked his dark form. It was peaceful, almost tranquil. How ironic. Moving his legs one step at a time, he'd advance towards those large double doors. Then a single hand would lift to touch them, before he'd lean close and let the furs of his forehead graze the old unused oak. It was just like yesterday… a black rabbit bursting out of the very same doors with a frantic wild look to his eyes, scrabbling off to the distance without even a jacket to his name. Tsh. Gritting his teeth, Noxic would push forward and with a groaning creek, the door would swing open with ease. As if greeting the bunny to his one true home. Then with but a single glance back towards where his partner laid, he'd advance.

The only sounds in the air were his almost silent footfalls, padded furs carpeting the noise while he'd carefully advance. A careful that was also stiff with a breed of emotion he couldn't describe. It was a mix of anticipation and fear of what he was anticipating. Turning right, he'd head down a memorised route, one he could walk even if he's only been down it once before. The old red painted corridors, even such simple walls carried memories. Reaching out, he'd trace fingers over four claw marks, following them down and down to another door. One he paused at.

This is where it all started.

Fingers swiftly curled into twin fists and embracing his determination to finish it, Noxic opened the place best forgotten wide open. What awaited inside was all but a few trashed devices, destroyed utterly by deep slashes and papers scattered everywhere by what one could only assume was an explosion. An explosion that, if the shattered glass held any indication, came from inside a large tube. Cage would be a better description though, because that tube was never filled with any sort of liquid. It was used to hold a sole individual.

 **Him.**

"Not here, huh…" He could have guessed that much. This room was full of painful memories, ones that no reasonable person would ever want to revisit. But, there might be a clue here! A single hint, a single lead that'd let them give chase! That's all Noxic needed to step foot in that all important room. The door slammed shut behind him with a menacing and ominous aura, something that had him swallowing before he continued. Maybe there was something in these papers? Think back to what that Sherlock mouse fellow said! 'Open your nose, open your ears, open your mouth, open your hands and for heaven's sake, open your eyes.' Eyes… eyes… it was just devastation, all the papers were burned, all the machines beyond repair! 'Look twice, look trice. There are somethings even I would miss, if I didn't take my time.' "Yeah but you're patient, dumb mouse. It's not like a guy like me could ever do the same sorta-"

Then he saw it, a sole paper that laid right in the centre of the tube. A single white as snow sheet amongst a field of papery ash and soot. It couldn't be possible, it shouldn't be! But it was unmistakable, there lay a solitary document, untouched. Dashing forward with a new found feeling of hope inside his heart, he'd quickly kneel on one knee to pick the paper up. With a few wipes from the back of his hand and blows from his mouth, he'd pick up on the neatly written and extravagant swirls of words written by a hand he knew, he knew was from the person he was after.

Only his eyes didn't focus on any sentence, on any key bits of evidence the skim read might have given away. No, they focused on the final word that was written with so much more force than the rest. A single word. A word that hit a chord he didn't even knew he had.

 **Failure.**

After all of that, after everything she put him through—"Shut up!" He'd cry out. The room felt so much darker, so much colder. "You're tellin' me, you're tellin' me that after everything I'm a- I'm a—" The word, his worst nightmare wouldn't leave his choking and clogged up throat.

It was here in the past he experienced emotion for the first time, he experienced a forbidden fruit no heart consumed by Darkness should experience. Light. It gave him fear and that fear span him down a carousal of agony. He was scared about even feeling fear! He cried, he screamed, he sobbed, he shuddered. He bared through his existence itself telling him he was all wrong, wrong, wrong! All to be called a failure!?

It filled his very core was so much- ugh! Arms tensed, eyes screwed shut and he quivered with sheer hate filling his form. "I don't care! I don't care if I'm some failure or mistake! I don't care if I'm some monster made from spare parts! All I care about is making you pay!" Black whisks of smoke like tendrils started to lift from the ground, licking at his torso and wrapping around his arms. "You did this to me!" He could feel himself slipping through the cracks to a dark eternity, a place where only his hate and hurt would remind him of what he is, what he was. But he didn't care. "It's all your fault!" That fear of falling down never ending void of hunger, it was being overtaken by a single emotion. " _I HATE YOU_!" Voice broke and echoed through the building before he'd fall onto the pair of his knees, punching his fists into the ground. Then tear falls would follow, right before the shadows would swallow him down.

Falling down and down, endlessly. Ever on and on, he continued circling. With nothing but that hated in an endless roundabout loop. Till slowly he forgot even that, and his heart started to vanish. _'Hey Nox, Nyx? Let's solve all this together, as friends!'_ So stupid… Then suddenly he could feel that he couldn't break free, that he's gone too far. The feelings weren't as alien as they should have been. It feels like he's fallen down this very same pit before. Feelings… they were drifting away as he fell. Tiny golden streams letting him know he's going deeper and deeper while all he could do was look up while he fell and fell, deeper and deeper. _'C'mon, can't you two get along for once? If I can put up with you guys, you guys can put up with each other!'_ Yeah, like that'd ever happen. You're always so naive… Uncertainty was enveloping his mind, maybe this was a dream? Maybe nothing else is real? It doesn't mean anything, nobody would understand how he feels. He's tired of all the pain, tired of all the misery inside. _'Promise me you'll stick with me till the end, okay? I need you, just like you said you need me. Hey- Noxic! Look at me, I'm being serious!'_ Yeah yeah, I said I promised already…

That maw opened sharply in the endless sea, eyes that were drifting shut snapping open. He couldn't fall, he couldn't give up! He promised—he promised somebody important! Lifting that arm he'd grab onto the thread of Light, then he'd tug himself up and up. No, if he just fell there would be no turning back. He couldn't just let everything fade to black again! He'd touch that pillars tip again, a pillar that was shattered and imageless. Tugging himself higher and higher, he'd hear voices, voices that were… familiar! _'Such a illogical beast that acts on nothing but instinct alone could never beat me. We don't require assistance from something so- so black, XXXX-Something.'_ That stupid cat, he'd show him, he wouldn't lose to that guy ever! The pulls got stronger and stronger, faster and faster until he started to see the surface. Only a few more then- then!

The Darkness surrounding his form retreated in a swift recoil, and Noxic would slowly stand to his full height inside that shattered tube. Wiping away the water from his eyes with the back of his arm. "I don't care if I'm a failure. It doesn't matter, because I've still got a promise to keep. Right, Suihei?" Smiling softly, he'd clutch the note in hand and calmly walk out, heading back for the ship, without a single look back.


	2. II - Norwin: Bonds

Fun for all ages! Norwin is a character that has yet to be introduced in Destati ; taking on the role of the 'Riku', so to speak, she hails from a World with the last Keybearer, her Uncle, as the lingering Master. In his Old Age, he opted to train her, and since she never Awakened to her Keyblade, she's more or less salt-incarnate. This was a little snippet to go with an image done a while back.

 ** _Begin ._**

* * *

 ** _Norwin ; Bonds_**

It was strange, how fate worked out.

Norwin hated Suihei originally. Hated the way that the girl seemed to be upbeat. Happy, despite the way that things seemed to never pain out for her. She hated the way that she pretended that nothing was wrong - that the World was her oyster, and everything would be fine, so long as she kept going forward with those two idiots that she called friends.

Most importantly, and though this was well known between the both of them, she'd hated Suihei for taking what she had believed was rightfully hers. Pride and honor dictated that she - someone who had trained her entire life to earn the Keyblade, shouldn't have gone empty handed while some novice, who wasn't even trained by the Last **Master** _had something that she had been working for for as long as she remembered by a_ _ **fluke**_ _._

But then she saw it - the way her Heart burned brightly, no matter the odds that she faced. Even when she had doubt over herself, she hadn't given in - not for a second. And then the idiot had been dumb enough to throw her Heart into an empty vessel. Something that shouldn't even have existed. All because he was her friend? It was ridiculous. Absurd.

But her Heart had reacted before her body could realize what had happened. And Nowrin... respected that. Begrudgingly, of course.

It had put things into perspective. How bad she had really screwed up.

When her anger had washed away, and there was nothing left to but try to make amends.

So, she had opted to stay in the Dark Realm, seeking to make things right by searching for a Key that the notes that she'd compiled had spoken of.

Something from the Dark Realm - a soul searching experience. That's what she needed. The guilt was overbearing, yet a year later, when she met that idiotic girl again...

She was met with a smile. And an offer of friendship - just because she had been grateful that her life had been saved by someone who had had a part in pushing her there, inadvertently.

 _" Don't be such an idiota."_ Suihei'd say, throwing her arm over her shoulder even as they ascended the homebase of their enemy with that insufferably bright smile, mixed with the slightest hint of mischief. " If I hated anyone that tried to kill me, then I'd have way too much hate to hold. It's no big, really. And hey, we could always try again some time. Sure, Noxic might want to punch your head in, and you might've been all mysterious assistant from the shadows while we were trying to find The Order, but you still helped out, and you're helping now. So, I can't really think of you... terribly, or anything. "

It was the first time that someone had offered to be a friend with her, because of who she was as a person, instead of who she should have been as a Heir. Nowrin found herself smiling at the thought. Small as it was.

It was the blossoming of a friendship, despite the dire situation they faced.


	3. III - Norwin: Accusation

Looking back into the notes about Norwin, I decided to do something that takes place during Destati itself. A spin-off if you will. Murder me softly sweet prince my fingers are going to die from doing things not related to the story one day.

 ** _Begin ._**

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 **Recordatio III**

 **Norwin: Introspection**

She hadn't ever once believed that she'd ever reflect on the nonsensical chains that kept her tethered to the past. The past, Norwin had always felt, deserved to stay in the past. It wasn't her problem, but it was the legacy that she inherited. Like it or not, she had never been capable of making due with slipping between the cracks and look towards the future. Running never worked. Just thinking about it caused the briefest flare of annoyance to flash across her features. Lips pinched. How could everything possibly turn out like this? It wasn't like she was psychic, but Norwin had a mentality that followed the belief that the result of something would happen if she worked at it hard enough.

Part of her wanted to slack, but she had never done so a day in her life. She never had reason to, for since as long as she could remember, she had pushed herself to the brink of exhaustion in order to get closer to the only relative that had given her strength. Seeing others laze away, getting things that they didn't deserve…infuriated her. And that was something that she used seldom. For something to well and truly infuriate her, it had to be the most slovenly sort of person. The lazy aristocrats of other Worlds, for example. And then there was that girl.

That idiotic girl. She had stole everything that Norwin had ever worked for. Had stole her birthright, and had stole the legacy that she was poised to inherit once her Uncle had chosen her as the heiress of his legacy. It was the fact that her mind had been set upon that single target, that one, perfect goal in her life, that made her so upset. When she had first heard she was in disbelief. Shock. Revulsion. Facilier was not a man that she could trust, but he seemed so pleased with the information that his 'Friends' had been so willing to share with him. Information that had left her stomach feeling as if a rock had set into it.

That girl has a Keyblade, you know, he had whispered to her – lips wide and oily like a snake, ain't been one of those in years. That's the information you're looking for, right? So why don't you…give a little poke to see what it's all about.

Manicured fingernails bit into the flesh of her hands. Far beyond the gloves as the thought truly set into her. She didn't intend on being used. She refused to be used. If anything, she would use him, use him and his cronies, to get closer to the truth. Because if she didn't. If she remained ignorant of that stupid girl, she wouldn't be able to get answers. And if it meant that she had to beat every single one out of her, then Norwin would. Their first encounter at the Coliseum was just a lucky break for her.

Less than tactful words found themselves appropriate to slip from between her lips as she leaned against the wall. No, that wasn't it. It couldn't have been the bravery. That was fake. False. Just like her right to hold the Keyblade. The way that she had hesitated at the start of the fight had told Norwin everything she had wanted to know.

So why?

Why does she have the Keyblade?

What makes her so special?

Her Master had always warned her of the Darkness. While he had not prescribed to the theory of overwhelming Light as the old Masters had, Norwin was painfully aware of where the negative thoughts could guide her if she weren't careful. She'd drown. She'd keep falling, and falling, and falling, until her Heart was stolen away. But she couldn't help the thoughts swimming through her head. Every attempt was met with a harsh detour towards the girl with her Keyblade.

It was hard to pretend like everything was okay when it clearly wasn't. So when the Darkness had taken root, she embraced it with all the pride that she could muster. The disgust, the revulsion she felt didn't matter in the grand scheme of things- not when it was replaced with the cool, clinical, methodical mind that Darkness had offered her.

* * *

"Isn't it terrifying?" Norwin found herself asking that question, even as she settled against the column of the Coliseum with a bitter grin. She couldn't believe the dumb look on that girl's face either – like she was shocked for some reason, or maybe even annoyed at the implication that she'd be afraid of anything. Her words cut like a sharp blade though. She didn't have to use her Eyes to see that. "You're afraid of the Dark, I'm not." Something that could be mocked, for the girl had the Keyblade, and Norwin didn't.

She could see the disbelief, the anger, the slightest hint of _fear_ splash into chocolate eyes, even as she gazed at them from the comfort of the shade. "I wonder why you're afraid of it. Do you think that-"

That was it, wasn't it?

She had a bad experience with it. She was terrified of it. Norwin had to bite back the sharp coil of amusement that threatened to bubble at the back of her throat. She would've ended up laughing in the kid's face if she didn't have some form of restraint. "You're pathetic." Norwin sneered, unable to hide the complete and utter sensation of disgust that rose from her throat like bile. A slim finger pointed, accusing Suihei with not a single whit of sympathy. "Hope you got resolve, kid. It's not gonna stay with you if you don't. _"_


	4. IV - Trinity: Homecoming

Originally a snippet based on Suihei as an adult post-adventures ; I had intended, really, for her to lose her Keyblade once the Destati series ended, looking at these old notes. For that reason, two years ago, I'd settled down and focused on writing something focusing on her adulthood living a life on her own. However, this has long since changed and ideas have _long_ since been tinkered with until I was satisfied with the post-Destati path.

Just what may happen is a secret though~

 ** _Begin ._**

* * *

 ** _Recordatio IV_**

 ** _Trinity ; Homecoming_**

 ** __**  
Her life had always been complex ; at least, she liked to believe that there was a certain complexity to it that made it a mite bit tougher to get through, but rewarding all the same. She had done a lot of things, of course - from saving the multiverse ( twice ) to almost dying ( more than twice ), to making the very first bonds of her life that were outside of her immediate family. Looking back on the days of her youth, she can't help but muse on the fact on how far she had grown since that day, almost a decade ago.

First obscured by Darkness, then Blinded by Light.

Contemplating it was a pointless endeavor, though it humours her all the same. She thought about it, of course- when everything returned to normal, and she was left to her own devices while her best friends, her companions sought other venues to satisfy their lives. At times, she thought of them as well, though never long enough that her Heart got bogged down with emotion at the two that had helped shape her into the woman she was today. So many things had changed since then, though, that never occurred to stick to her mind either. Subconsciously, perhaps, she draws her hand up to the lucky charm hidden beneath her dress shirt that she had spent the bettermost months crafting, imbuing with the magic that she'd never let these children know was real, in the hopes of maintaining that connection to Her Boys.

Because that's what they were at the end of the day, though she'd never admit that either.

Fingers drumming against her desk, hazel eyes glance over the rim of her glasses towards the hopeful, youthful faces staring at her - "Summer Vacation is soon. I would hope that you all retain your knowledge from this year, and if not, well . . . " She can't help but give a tiny giggle beneath the curl of her fist, irises alight in amusement at the almost despairing expressions of the youths that, at one point she would've avoided with the entirety of her being.

' _Yeah, yeah, you're just avoidin' people because y'er scared of gettin' hurt. What's that gonna do, huh? People used ta hurt me all the time, and I ain't break down._ ' But those words left a mark and . . . despite their little group breaking apart, she cherished them when she had finally settled home. "You can always ask me for help." She keenly observes the reactions of her students when she says this - some leaping up in excitement ( much to her amusement ) and others fidgeting in their seats. Placing her hand against her desk, she can't help but give a cheerful grin towards the occupants of her room. At the ring of the bell, she extends her hand to the door with an almost wistful expression, listening to the cacophony of students leaping out of their chairs ( knocking a few over, much to her ire ) in order to make their escape. Reigning in the initial desire to yell at her students to return and pick up her chairs, she gives a glance around the room for just a moment, making sure no one was around before rolling her wrist to send a flutter of wind throughout the room and slide the seats back into place.

Her days often went like this at the end of the year, times where she'd spend a few moments letting her imagination take hold of her - maybe Nyx and Noxic had gotten married like she'd always teased when she was a bright eyed child! Or maybe they'd tended to business on their own, like she'd thought they did. After all, neither had returned their own charms, so she figured the Worlds were relatively safe without her. Warm air greeted her as she exited the school building, pencil-wrap skirt giving the tiniest of flutter whilst loose spikes of hair swayed a bit. Really, she couldn't be happier for tying her hair into a bun - made things a lot more convenient whenever she had to deal with the humid days of twilight town's upcoming Summer season.

Well! There was no point in wondering about it! The comfort of strolling home was definitely one that she had always cherished. Something that she was never exactly able to do freely once she became an adult ( well, it was one of the many things she hadn't been allowed to do since becoming an adult. Eugh, obligations. ) was take her time with things, though even now, as she walked down the road to her home ( for home was where the heart was, and she'd never forget her Grandmother telling her that.

Suihei quickly gathers her bearings, however, once she manages to slip into her home for the last half-decade. It'd be nice, for sure - being able to pay her own bills ( and sell a few trinkets she'd collected from other Worlds when she was younger ) was always a lucrative way of keeping her Savings afloat. After going through her post work routine ( that was, feeding her cat, tossing her bag into a corner, let her hair out of its bun and putting it in a high ponytail - went the same every day! ) she settles down on her couch and leans back with all the nonchalance of someone who has nothing but time on her hand. And really, she would've enjoyed having some time to herself with a bowl of chocolate mint ice-cream if it weren't for the fact that someone found it convenient to give the door a sharp rap of the knuckles.

Abrasive and eager enough for her to groan, slide out of her chair, and stride to the door with an expression that just barely retained it's mask of politeness when she almost ( almost ) tore the door off of its hinges to great whomever deemed it appropriate to visit her when she was supposed to be having /her/ time.

Really, the impish grin and subdued smile were so much of a surprise that whatever firm words ( see ; slew of curses ) had been brewing on her lips mere seconds before.

Thoughtlessly, she engulfs both figures in a bone-crushing hug that had only gotten stronger ( though . . far more subdued ) than it had been a decade previous.

" Ack! C'mon Sui, d'ya really- hey, hey, no, stop cryin', come on! " " Look at what you did, you made Suihei Something cry- " "Oi, don't place the blame on me! You're the one who decided-" Their argument was cut off by her speaking, and both pairs of eyes - both red and pale, pale blue, flit over to gaze upon her.

" You're back . . . " Her voice wavers, for a moment, as though emotion was trying to make it as difficult as possible to get the words out. But she wasn't crying. Because she never cries without a good reason too, and this wasn't a good reason, this was just-

" Welcome home. "


	5. V - Norwin: Reverse Rebirth

**A/N: I'm not dead! The creator of Norwin had me pick at something for the last few weeks that acted as a pseudo reverse/rebirth prologue for Nor. It seemed like a good way to try to get the gear of the brains working since I'm only about 3k words into the next chapter of Destati. So here, we'll get three neat things - a motive, an interaction, and something else. You guys are free to request if you want to see anything else! It keeps my skills from rusting.**

* * *

 **Recordatio IV**

 **Norwin: Reverse/Rebirth**

Illuminated Springs was not a large World, not by any means. For all that the people may have been satisfied with being on the little ball of dirt, she often felt the anticipation of being able to achieve _more_ boil beneath her skin. Because her Master had expected it of her. It had never once crossed Norwin's mind that she may have failed, or that she would not have met the standard set. Why would it? She abided by the tenants and focused on keeping her Heart strong.

There had been few things that Norwin had ever wanted in life more than the ascension to her divine right. It wasn't that she had never expected it, nor that she had ever been taught to expect anything else. Her Master had always guided her – having her abide by the strict tenants that had been settled and revised thousands upon thousands of years ago. If there was anything, _anything_ that Norwin had ever desired more than anything, it was meeting her own standard without so much of a _thought_. She had to do it. There was nothing more than the desire to learn. Un-quenched as it may have been.

But it had been years. Many years since she had begun training. She had taken to magic like a fish to water. Honing it like a fine craft in the stead of the Keyblade that had never come. The Master had been pleased more than anything, despite her worries of inadequacy, of _failure_ and so she had done her best to exceed that pride with more strength. _What's the point of strength if you don't have a_ _ **reason**_ _for it._ She thought to herself, tucking a strand of hair behind an ear. It was the crack of dawn when she had rose out of bed, spellbooks hoisted over her shoulder, ponytail arranged haphazardly.

She did it every morning. Rise. Read. Then meet with the Master for training. Magic, then history, followed by a brief excursion around the forest to hone her senses. Followed by that It wasn't something for everyone. It took time, effort and exertion that people weren't exactly fond of putting forward. There were relatives, people of the village, who believed that she should have tended to her duties instead of the dreams that came from following around an old, decrepit uncle that had seen far better days. _'_ _But I know that I'll do my best. I'll do better than my best. I'll do so perfect that I'll Awaken some day.'_

 _But what if-_ Doubts unfurled in her stomach like a serpent. She crushed it beneath her heel before it could do as much as slither even further into her mind. But _why_ was she so afraid to visit the Master today? It had been regularly routine this morning, so _why_ did her mind keep straying away, like a premonition hanging in the air? _Deep breaths._ Norwin exhaled, shaking away the cobwebs that formed in her head in favour of keeping her eyes forward, gaze lingering on the door but a few feet in front of her.

Her legs felt like they were weighed down by blocks of cement. For all of her bravado, she was scared. The Master had called her for **something** , and if there was one thing Norwin hated more than anything, it was not _knowing_ something. It was a weakness. And one thing that had never had a place in Norwin's Heart or mind, it was a weakness.

Norwin thought it best if her Uncle hadn't even called her. Selfish as it may have been, she didn't want to confront whatever his summons had been for. The lack of friends made it so she couldn't mill about with an excuse, and the fact that he knew her schedule as well as he knew **her** meant that it would've fallen straight through anyways. Perhaps it would be best for her to cease her procrastination. Suffering in silence was only something deserved by fools. "So just get a move on." Norwin muttered to herself impatiently, planting her hand on the wooden door.

The first thing her Master would see, Norwin mused internally, was the fact that she had an awful scowl on her face. If that weren't enough, her proverbial foot got caught in her mouth with her borderline impertinent greeting. "Sorry I'm late, old man. I got caught up in the middle of thinking, and-" Norwin was interrupted by a gnarled hand raising up.

"Sit, child…" It was a familiar tune to the Master, who regularly had to contend with the ebb and flow of his wayward apprentice. Dine was not a bad man, not by any means. He was not even a terrible person. He was strict, Norwin recalled with the vaguest sense of annoyance, but he was also fair. The years had taken their toll on him, leaving him looking weathered by the seasons. His skin was leathery, with the few silvery scars stretched across his face denoting **years** since his last grand fight. That was all Norwin knew. The bare minimum. When she was younger, more fanciful, she liked to imagine that it had come from a fight with one of his friends. Or even better, one of the dreadful Heartless that she had heard so much about. Shame that she never bothered asking, it probably would've made him sour up all day if she did.

"Yeah old man?" Norwin asked, affixing her Master with the vaguest look of annoyance. She settled across from him in a seiza. Legs folded beneath her backside, hands atop her knees.

"You are late. I have had pertinent news to tell you all day." Venom laced his voice, but his grizzled countenance had no spite to it. Harsh as he may have been, he was not foolish enough to berate her for this instance. She would do it enough from the weight of his voice alone. "It has come to my attention that you have yet to call forward your weapon."

Even as her azure eyes came flicking up from her, frustration ate at her like a toxin. She'd drive herself insane if she was reminded of that one more time. Maybe it was something she was missing? Some lost technique-

"It was not a mistake that I chose you, Norwin." It was a good decision, he mused. She had the fire and determination needed for a good student. She was callous and brittle, but she was also an overachiever. It put her at great risk for Darkness, he could see, but the winds had been changing for quite some time. He **needed** an apprentice that wouldn't be afraid to make use of what they had, when they had the chance to. "You are far from useless."

Norwin chewed on her bottom lip. It would cause undue punishment to lash out for no reason. Keep a level head, she reminded herself.

"So I have decided that before I reach the end of my days, you must travel off-world." He reached beneath the table, withdrawing a small box and slowly unclasping the lock on it.

Norwin's eyes focused immediately, straining for what she was missing. She barely focused on Master Dine's wrist flicking, hand automatically raising to catch it in her palm. Then she caught it. A glimmer of light that refracted in the low light of his home.

"You have much growing to do, child." His jade eyes met her own sapphire, pinning her in place with expectation. "While you have grown much, you have yet to awaken to your destiny. And you cannot do it here."

"Keep your eyes peeled for the truth, child. And do not be blinded by the darkness that has festered in your heart."

* * *

 **Traverse Town**

She should've taken the words to heart. It had been a week, perhaps less since her departure from her home. The excitement from seeing a new world had yet to fade, and she made a point of exploring as far as she possibly could. There was the occasional fifteen minute walk that was interrupted by a Heartless or two, but that wasn't something that her magic couldn't handle with a flourish of the rapier.

So it came as a surprise when, on what had become a regular exploration out, she met someone.

Or perhaps No One would have been the best way to put it.

Shamefully, she locked up as soon as she felt it. Typically she could discover the nature of something with her eyes, eyes that had been passed down for as long as her bloodline had danced along the world. So when she caught an anomaly, when she caught sight of Nothing, Norwin could do nothing more than blink in confusion.

 _Is that a…cat?_ The thought was incredulous. The thought was ridiculous. Yet the figure, swathed in a white coat and with fur as inky as night stood in front of her like an old time friend. She could make out feline features – from the ears to the furred legs leading to…paws.

What had the Master said before? That there were multiple people across the Worlds, yet this creature…it made her skin crawl. "What're you doin' in a place like this, Nobody?" Norwin asked, tone accusatory. Heavy. There was no point in beating around the bush if she could just take the direct route, right?

"What am I doing in a place like what, Something?" The voice was masculine, but light, wistful in a way that made him sound tired. "I did not know that a world for refugees needed purpose." It- he said, disappearing into thin air for just a moment, only to reappear atop a rail, sitting whilst his legs swiveled to and fro.

"Well-" Norwin attempted to refute. It wasn't like he knew why she was here. Admittedly, she could have done a lot better job at handling it. But she didn't back down. Not now. "It's not like that's important anyways. One of your kind," and she said that word in a way that was curious and callous. "haven't been around in generations."

"Oh?" The feline-creature nudged his head to the side. "I suppose that you are correct. Nothings are never around, even when they are. Yet for every Something, there is a chance that there is a Nothing, is there not?" His tail scythed through the air, punctuating the question with the most subtle sign of body language. He was genuinely curious.

Norwin was good at reading people, but she **hated** the fact that she couldn't so much as get a read on him. There was an air of whimsy that made her clench her fists together. "You're bein' annoyin, pussy cat. Think you can talk like a normal person?" It may have been wrong to throw that in its- his face, but the entire week had been rife with looking for dead ends.

The air seemed to still as the creature thought. Her patience had never been her strongest virtue – in fact, it was decidedly lacking. Norwin tapped her foot against the cobblestone impatiently, arms folding across her chest as she **watched** the beast tilt his head to the side in infuriating contemplation.

"I do not believe so, no. What is a 'person' if they are not complete?" If it weren't for the fact that Norwin **knew** that it couldn't feel anything, she was sure that the freak'd be taking amusement at her own annoyance. Sadistic amusement, if that stupid smile etched onto what little of its face she could see said anything.

Norwin tried her best to keep from spewing explicit words, but it really **was** hard. She watched as he leaped down from his position, landing with an almost ethereal grace. When he – it, strode towards her, she was tempted to call forward her rapier. The disjointed presence he had from **everything** was disconcerting. It wasn't natural.

Finally, she tired of waiting – she needed to know something. "Who **are** you?" Norwin all but demanded. It wasn't like he was a threat. She could barely sense any magical energy. There was just the plaintive presence that he brought to her senses. Almost like melancholy. She hated it.

"It is not polite to demand a name without giving yours first. Names have power." The creature said, lips quirking into an easy grin that made Norwin's forehead throb in a headache. "So do you wish to give me the pleasure of sharing yours first?"

Seeing that this would be a dreadful, roundabout task if she didn't provide _some_ semblance of what the creature wanted, Norwin sighed beneath her breath. "Fine," she said, exasperation worming itself into her voice. "My name is Norwin." The introduction was practically spat. Her arms crossed over her chest, a frown etching itself onto her face. Her parents would've been appalled at her manners, she was sure, but for once ( okay, not for **once** ), she couldn't bring herself to care too much.

"Oh?" The Nobody hummed, drawing a sleeved arm up to tap a clawed finger against his obscured cheek. At least, Norwin presumed it was a cheek. "I am Nothing. Simply a sentiment of a time long gone by." A pause. "You may call me Nyx, Norwin Something. It is something that I have taken a liking to."

"Please," Norwin said dismissively, scoffing beneath her breath. Belligerently, she continued her thought, "Nobodies can't feel. One of the first things my Master taught me were that you guys are husks. So why should I think that you got a likin' for anything, eh?"

Her words seemed to give him a moment's pause. Nyx made a soft 'hmm' at the back of his throat once again, clawed toes tapping against the cobblestone ground of the second district. "I do not need to have an attachment to the feeble thing that guides you in order to prefer something. Such a prejudiced Heart. You understand nothing, I see." As he scrutinized the young woman, Nyx realized that she had **something** that made him want to recoil in revulsion. A spark, a potential. Ah, how didn't he see it before? Was it possible that…

Shaking his head, Nyx stood his ground, far from shying away from the young woman. "Hard as it may be to rationalize, Norwin Something."

Norwin clicked her teeth together in frustration. Just who did he think he was?! Some kind of know-it-all? Some kind of **guru**? They had hardly exchanged a few words, and she was rapidly coming to the conclusion that she was starting to hate him. "Well, what do you know about anyone knowin anything, pussycat?" To her satisfaction, she saw his tail whip behind him in agitation. "You don't even know how to **feel** , why should I believe anything that comes out of your mouth?" She straightened her shoulders, haughtily looking down at Nyx with a cocky grin stretching itself across her features.

"Commit it to memory." She tapped her temple, "I don't need **you** or anyone else tellin' me what I do, and don't know. I'm **more** than capable of figuring this kinda stuff out on my own." Of course she did. The master just sent her out for a **test** is all. That was right, it was a test of her resolve, nothing more, nothing less.

Nyx remained silent, tail trailing behind him like some sort of serpent. The silence stretched well beyond awkward, and when he spoke again, Norwin had to try her best to tuck away the sensation of alleviation that swelled in her chest. "Very well." He didn't sound like he believed her. Now that Norwin focused on his disposition, he didn't sound like anything **much** at all. Every word was measured, calculative.

"Is there anything else you wish to say, Something?" While Nyx was ahead of himself, he allowed her to answer another question. It was so intriguing to see the way that someone worked when given the opportunity to do so. Intriguing in a way that he couldn't quite put a clawed finger on. "Perhaps to defend yourself further? Your attempts at disproving me only show-"

Norwin didn't hear whatever he said next. It was like a taunt, a taunt that made her jaw creak from the strain of her teeth clenching together. Before she even knew what she was doing, she withdrew her rapier from her hip and slashed the air with a flourish of the wrist. Nyx stepped gracefully back from the attempt only to give a speculative hum at the rumble of thunder and a crack of lighting zapping down. Again, he moved out of the way, weaving with preternatural grace in a manner that looked almost uncanny to Norwin. It made her comprehension click to a pause for a second. It was **unsettling**. And she had a bad habit of getting angry at things that were unknown.

Feeling just a hint of annoyance bubble up in his stomach, Nyx huffed through his nostrils. "I see." He muttered beneath his breath. Norwin had a second, just a **second** to see what was happening, before he was right upon her. His face was barely visible to her this close – cold eyes, almost **dead** to her own lively cobalt, stared him with such indifference that she felt her stomach creeping with the weight of fear. "You will be lost to the Darkness if you allow your Heart to sway you with contempt."

That was _unusual_ to say. It wasn't like she had ever shown much in the way of being tainted. Her Master had faith in her, didn't he? But if he did…

"Perhaps whatever it is that you are seeking, you will find soon." Almost as if he were satisfied with what he had seen, Nyx drew his head back. Right before Norwin's eyes, he just…disappeared. As if he wasn't there mere moments ago.

Arms still shaking from rage, Norwin sheathed her weapon, sweeping her eyes around her towards the assortment of buildings. "Tch." She scoffed beneath her breath once more, turning on the ball of her foot to storm angrily to the nearest district entrance.

She'd wasted enough time here, clearly, if she would let the words of some _Nothing_ linger on her head like that.

* * *

 **Olympus Coliseum**

The world she had landed on but a day before was a quaint little place. Out of the way of the rest, with a sort of archaic wonder that made her think of the epics that her Uncle often shared with her whenever he spoke of his own adventures. When she had first arrived, it was an exercise in patience to keep from saying anything about the **smell**. While Traverse Town was subdued, this place was significantly more active. So busy during the day with what she figured was a marketplace, or a bazaar, that when the evening had come and people had retreated into their homes, she had been forced to go into the inn she had opted to rent a room from, lest she end up staying out for too long.

 _It's never too smart to keep the attention of natives on you for too long._ But the stars were very visible from where she had been, so it was easier said than done. She had come here because it had been a task of keeping her nerves steeled while sitting in Traverse Town. With nothing but her thoughts to be her companion, it was easier said than done. What could that idiotic creature know about what she was going through anyways? The time she had spent pondering what he could have known eventually shifted to _why_ she had kept him alive. It was an uncomfortable weight in her stomach that harkened her mood taking a turn for the worse. Perhaps her master had been right to send her out. Did he doubt her ability as a student? Norwin didn't know. She didn't intend on finding out, either. He didn't cast her out because she was inadequate, he sent her to explore herself and gain understanding.

She was out here for a reason. Not like the dweebs that stopped her in the middle of the street one time too many to ask her for a small amount of currency. Unfortunately, she had spent most of her munny on ensuring that she was well stocked and had a place to sleep. Working for a few pieces of munny had crossed her mind a few times, but the activities that they wanted her to do – accounting, among other things – had practically ensured that she wouldn't be doing such menial labor. No, she needed fast money.

So it had been a pleasant surprise when she had opted to go out to the market again.

It was a busy enough place, bustling with activity from a wide assortment of merchants offering their wares. The scent of food mingled in the air, exotic to Norwin's palette without being borderline repugnant. In stark contrast to the strip of stores in Traverse Town, it was like stepping into an entirely new world entirely. People's livelihoods depended on being able to haggle good enough for people to buy their own things. Norwin found that she liked the familiarity that it brought. She ignored the few glances tossed her way, only stopping to glance at a few products that caught her attention.

"Did you hear about the matches at the Coliseum?"

She had been right in the midst of overlooking a few strange fruits when she heard that. Eavesdropping might've been considered disrespectful, but she couldn't help herself. Just a couple of young men, she noted to herself dryly. Nobody really important in the grand scheme of things, but the topic at hand.

"Yeah? What about them?" said his companion.

"Well, there's supposed to be a huge amount of prize money if we manage to get to the finals."

She didn't even try to feign her interest any longer. "When is it supposed to be?" She tried to hide the overt curiosity that threatened to spill into her voice. Apparently it worked well enough, given that the only thing she found herself on the receiving end of was a few speculative glances.

"The coliseum?" Both boys said in tandem. Norwin narrowed her eyes. As if she would know where that was without some form of a hint. They were simple annoyances, but they were annoyances that she'd deal with until she got the knowledge that she wanted. Folding her arms over her chest, Norwin stared at both boys. The intensity behind her gaze had been learned by her Uncle, who generally made very little time for her sharp retorts when he was in the midst of teaching something. To her satisfaction, both of them began to shift in discomfort after a minute ticked by. She was getting a lot better at intimidating people. "Just west of the here!" The first boy clarified, awkwardly flicking his gaze to and fro. As if that would somehow manage to cure the weight of Norwin's eyes on his hide.

Ancestors, why did she have to deal with so much stupidity on any given day?

"And when are applicants supposed to turn in their entries?" Norwin followed up with the nonchalance of someone that clearly knew what she was doing. Adjusting her posture so she would be standing **over** the youths, she took a small degree of gratification at the tangible air of nervousness in the air.

"Before midday-" Came an awkward response. Norwin noticed the boy's companion seemed to be trying his hardest to keep on a brave front. She arched one of her brows slightly, offering nothing more than slight incredulity. Looking up to the skies revealed that it wasn't quite midday yet, but she'd be in quite the rush if she didn't end up pushing herself from here at a reasonable pace.

"Then I guess I should be on my way." Norwin said, flicking her ponytail over her shoulder with a disgruntled click of the tongue. Without so much as another word, she set down the fruit in her hand and began to stride in the given direction.

Maybe there she'd find something interesting to push herself into contesting without the burden of anything foolish holding her back.

She could see her victory already.

Mediocrity was the last thing on her prodigal mind.


	6. VI - Suihei & Nyx: Scattered Memories

A snippet of the act that might never be, 1.5.

While her friends are off attempting to find a solution to restore her Heart to her body, Suihei's mind and soul are stuffed into a datascape so she can go along the process of looking through her memories. Treasured or otherwise.

* * *

 **Recordatio VI**

 **Suihei & Nyx: Scattered Memories**

 _"Do you remember my name, Something?"_

"Mn… I can't really say." Her words seemed to muddle together and weigh her heart down. They sluggishly burbled from between her lips, even as she continued to sink, motionless against the current guiding her like air – a few bubbles rolled from between her fluttering clothes, and it was only the steady hand of Nyx that kept her from sinking further into Darkness. Brown eyes met those peculiar blue for but a moment, before they slid down to stare at Nyx's chest.

She couldn't even muster the will to look him in the eye, shamed as she was at forgetting his name. It felt like it should've been important. Her keyblade had taken a most peculiar shape – formless, torn between Kingdom and Neo-Kingdom alike, too broad to be the weapon that she had steadily been acclimating herself too, yet too slim to be the weapon that she had started with.

Within the abyss, Suihei caught sight of the glimmering gold eyes of a Heartless, **splashing** from the surface and diving further from the duo. Where was she? She couldn't remember—everything just seemed too frustrating to try to drudge up.

" _Such a wretched fate, to be drowned in Darkness, is it not, Suihei Something?_ " His words were phantasmal against her ears, the words of the feline drawing her attention for but a feeble few moments. He was akin to a spectral guide, in this realm without light – without thoughts or memories, just scattered dreams and thoughts muddled by the abyss – she needed one. 

"Mn…" Her noise was one of agreeance, as the churning thoughts of Darkness being bad flitted through her mind for the entirety of seconds. If she focused hard enough, she could just barely put names to a few of the muddled faces that passed through her mind at that word—Darkness.

Nyx sighed, peering at the listless girl before his eyes lifted up to the surface of the water just begging to be breached. "We promised to take care of you. Such a foolish, foolish child, throwing everything away for a Nothing such as myself." His voice seemed 'fond' ; for some reason, Suihei found that thought far more amusing than she felt it should've been. "… but as Noxic has claimed. We'll put you back together again, because you are our Light. But you must do your part too, Suihei Something. Do you understand?"

For the first time since their conversation started, the barest hints of awareness flickered into Suihei's eyes, before they bloomed in understanding. Yes, yes, she understood— _"Whatever happened…"_ Whatever happened had put her to sleep. So…

 _"Chain together your memories, and we will see what we can do when the time is right."_ Nyx explained further, glancing back down to Suihei with a muted smile. _"I am quite sure you can do it."_


	7. VII - Norwin & Noxic: Stardust Memory

**A/N:** Part to of Reverse/ReBirth scenario, featuring Norwin a few years later down the line. Roughly around Act 2, if I had to give a rough guestimate.

* * *

 **Recordatio VII**

 **Norwin & Noxic: Stardust Memory**

"So why'd ya think this was a good idea again, eh?" Noxic looked annoyed, groggy, at being torn from bed at such an ungodly hour. Deciding that he was far too old for this spectacular brand of nonsense, he had been sorely tempted to turn back around in bed and go back to sleep undisturbed for the rest of the night.

The day previous had found the trio of himself, Suihei and Nyx in Radiant Garden once more. This time on a meaningless errand for a few friends that he really, really didn't want to get dragged into in the first place.

Norwin, it seemed, had arrived but a few hours after them and had some sort of plan on her mind. Some sort of hectic plan that probably would end up with him developing an even bigger headache than he deserved. Just looking at her sitting on the windowsill of his room rented out for the evening, Noxic was sorely tempted to wake up Nyx so he could shunt her out with a…black hole or something.

The thought was apparently visible on his face, because Norwin gave a snort of derision and clapped him on the back before explaining, "Because, Quicky, there's no better time like the night to do a bit of talking."

"And just what do we have to talk about, eh?" Noxic was sure that there was an annoyed little tic that formed in the corner of his eye when she spoke to him like that, but he refrained from saying anything that could've been considered too crass.

"Something important." Norwin raised an eyebrow, looking just as annoyed that she had to repeat herself. Where many would've struggled to deal with someone late at night, Norwin took to it like a fish to water. Having people stay on their toes was optimal. And that, it seemed, was why not a moment after saying that, she dragged Noxic out of his bed towards somewhere more reasonable. Outside. The rooftops.

"Then make it quick." He conceded only for a short while, looking just as disheveled as she expected him to. "Because I just woke up, no thanks to you, and I ain't really in the mood for anythin' heartfelt right now." He scoffed, running his claws through his dense mane of headfluff that crowned his head. While he was glad that he was at least somewhat able to wake up without much prompting, he still hated being stirred from his dreams. It was inconvenient.

And then, with a cheeky smirk, Norwin shunted her thumb over her shoulder. The direction of his room. "I know that you got a boyfriend and everything waiting in bed for you." She ignored Noxic's indignant snort. "But I think it's important that we talk about you, me, and a little problem of mine. See, you have a lot of darkness." She raised a hand to placate him, catching sight of the slight tensing of his shoulder. "And I got my own. So, I guess what I'm asking is…" It hurt her to ask this, it did, but it wouldn't /hurt/ to ask, just this once. "…if we can pick up what we started a while back. Pointers. You know."

 _That_ seemed to cause the lagomorph's brow to arch by a notch or two. Not that Norwin didn't expect the incredulity, but actually seeing it kind of…threw her off. Was she really so closed off that people saw it as a shock when she asked for help?

"Riiight." He looked as skeptical as he sounded. It made Norwin want to punch him in the face a little. Shrugging, Noxic leaned back against the wall with a vague look of annoyance flashing across his face. "So, what? Y'need my help figurin out how to throw fireballs or somethin'?" Because Noxic had never particularly been talented at using Darkness like magic. It was more of an innate thing. Something to augment his strength in order to destroy ruthlessly instead of, well, the finesse that Norwin seemed to have a taste for. "Because I'm gonna tell ya that if you want me to gallivant darkness around like some kinda prissy mage, it ain't happenin'."

Norwin snorted, amused by his expression. The mental image too. "Yeah yeah, rub it in all you want Quicky, I'm asking _you_ for help. No need for you to get up in arms about it."

"Don't worry," Noxic quipped. "I will. I'm sure Sui would love to hear about it whenever she wakes up from her nap." His foot tapped against the floor impatiently, clearly waiting for her to get to her point.

Norwin rolled her eyes, "She wouldn't even wake up from a nap if there was an explosion next to her. So good luck with that." She said, deriving amusement from the prickly look that flashed across his face. "But I need the practice. While a year in the dark realm might've, I dunno, done me some kind of phenomenal good in gaining resistance…"

"Y'wanna learn how to harness it." Noxic concluded, swaying off the wall in order to dust the back of his shirt off. "Well, just meet me on the roof for the next week."

"Mm?" Norwin asked, squinting at the lagomorph while he stretched his arms over his chest. "Wait, where are you-?!"

The question proved fruitless, because apparently Noxic had taken it upon himself dangle from the rooftop and drop down to the ground silently. "I'm goin' back to bed."

"Got a boyfriend to snooze with again?" She teased. That was…that was nice. It was nice to be able to have a friend that was going to go out of his way to teach her something that he had probably spent years to learn.

"Noneya." He snorted, looking over his shoulder with a sharp fang-riddled grin. "And besides-" He whistled, offering a drowsy half-salute. "I'm sure you already know."

Beneath the star-speckled of the night, Norwin's laughter rang in Noxic's ears.

"Yeah Quickie," she smiled, "I know."


End file.
